You’ll select from one of three essay choices, each focusing on the same theme and skill but different time periods:

Option 1: period 1-3

Option 2: periods 4-6

Option 3: periods 7-9

How your learning will be assessed on the AP Exam:

The following are general parameters about the relationship between the components of the course framework and the questions that will be asked on the AP Exam:

Each AP Exam question measures your ability to apply historical practices and reasoning to one or more of the thematic learning objectives.

Multiple-choice questions expect that you’re familiar enough with the concept statements in each period of U.S. history to be able to answer questions about related primary and secondary source material.

All free-response questions reward you for accurately explaining the historical content your local curriculum focused on for each concept statement.

The coverage of the periods in the exam as a whole will reflect the approximate period weightings (see the table on page 19 of the Course and Exam Description).

Document-based and long essay questions may span more than one period, requiring you to address events or documents from multiple periods of the course.

Your understanding of all themes and periods of U.S. history will be assessed on the exam. The periods and skills that can be addressed in different sections of the exam are specified in the AP U.S. History Course and Exam Description (PDF/2.7MB).